Crimping press with contact feed

ABSTRACT

A crimping press has a cassette that can be inserted from the rear of the press and carries a contact roll containing a supply of belted crimp contacts. A contact belt passes over a tension pulley and, twisting through 90°, is guided onto a lower tool. A paper tape reel is driven over a toothed pulley by a mating gear located in the crimping press.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a crimping press for producing a crimped connection by means of an upper tool and a lower tool, in which the upper tool by means of a linear motion crimps onto an end of a conductor a crimp contact which can be laid on the lower tool.

[0002] In conventional crimping tools, the parts for advancing the contact, as well as the fixed lower tool and the upper tool arranged above it to move in a guide, are constructed as a unit. Also, the contacts are fed in either horizontal or curved manner, which results in a relatively wide construction. To feed the crimp contacts which are wound on rolls into the press makes elaborate extensions to the cable processing machine necessary. With conventional tool technology, these factors cause the space needed per crimping press with its tool and contact feeder to be large, and the changeover time when the empty contact roll needs to be replaced, or a different type of contact to be processed, to be long.

[0003] The Japanese patent specification 07320843 shows a crimping press in which belted crimped contacts are processed. A crimping die and an anvil produce a squeezed connection between a crimp contact and a cable. The belted crimp contacts are fed onto a circular contact guide, the contact belt being moved forward by an advancing finger.

[0004] A disadvantage of this known device is that when the crimping tool is changed, or when the contact belt roll is changed, long downtimes result. Furthermore, the space required by crimping presses arranged side by side is large, because of the extensions on the sides of the presses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention provides a solution for avoiding the disadvantages of the above-described known device, and creating a crimping press which is narrow, simply constructed, and allows short times for changing tools and contacts.

[0006] In the crimping press according to the present invention, the upper tool with crimping die is a unit which can be used directly in the pressing slider. The lower tool with anvil and contact advance, the contact roll, and the contact feeder are contained in a cassette which forms an interchangeable insert. The crimp contacts are fed to the crimping tool in the form of an arc, which causes the crimping press to be narrow. The lateral space requirements for a crimping press are approximately halved, and the changeover time is substantially reduced. On account of the mechanical separation of the upper tool from the lower tool, the contact belt no longer has to be unthreaded. On the crimping press according to the present invention, the crimping height is programmable (variable dead point). This also dispenses with the manual adjustment of the crimping height and crimping tool which is necessary on conventional tools.

[0007] Integrated into the receptacle for the upper tool in the pressing slider is a force sensor to monitor the crimping force. On conventional tools, this sensor must be built in either above the coupling between the pressing slide and the tool, or under the baseplate of the tool. This has the consequence that as well as the actual crimping forces, other forces (contact advance, cutting forces for separating the contact from the carrier belt, friction, etc.) are measured along with them. By contrast, in the crimping press concept according to the present invention, only those forces relevant for evaluating the quality of the crimping are measured.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The above, as well as other advantages of the present invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which:

[0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a crimping press in accordance with the present invention;

[0010]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the crimping press shown in FIG. 1 with the cassette removed and the upper tool removed;

[0011]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the assembled upper tool shown in FIG. 1 from the front;

[0012]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the upper tool shown in FIG. 3;

[0013]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a tool receptacle for the upper tool;

[0014]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the upper tool inserted in the tool receptacle;

[0015]FIG. 7 are perspective vies and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing details of a lower tool; and

[0016]FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are perspective views of details of positioning the cassette.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0017]FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a crimping press CR according to the present invention. FIG. 1 shows the crimping press CR assembled and FIG. 2 shows the press CR with a cassette KA removed and with an upper tool OW removed. A motor MO drives a gear GE. On an output side of the gear GE is an eccentric device that converts the rotational motion of the motor MO and the gear GE into a linear up-and-down motion that can be transmitted to a pressing slider 11 being guided by a pair of spaced apart vertically extending guides FU.

[0018]FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show details of the upper tool OW, which encompasses parts subject to wear such as a wire crimper 1, an insulation crimper 2, and a cutting punch 3. Depending on the crimped contact to be processed, further wear parts and distance plates may be necessary. The wire crimper 1 is bolted tightly to a holder 4, the remaining wear parts inserted, and the upper tool OW closed with a front plate 5. To adjust the height of the insulation crimping, a distancing piece 6 is exchangeable. The cutting punch 3 is supported in the upper tool OW in vertically movable manner, its motion being limited by the dimensions of an oval hole 7 formed in the punch.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 5, the upper tool OW is inserted manually into a tool receptacle 10 arranged at the lower end of the pressing slider 11, and held against a pin 13 by means of a latch 12. When changing the tool, the latch 12, which is pushed upward by a pair of compression springs 12.1, is pushed downward by means of an extensible piston 14. For this purpose, the piston 14 must be extended, and the pressing slider 11 must execute a vertical motion in an upward direction.

[0020] Via supporting surfaces 15 of the upper tool OW, forces arising during crimping are transmitted to a force sensor 16 positioned between the tool receptacle 10 and the slider 11.

[0021]FIG. 6 shows the upper tool OW inserted in the tool receptacle 10. In a crimping operation, the cutting punch 3 actuates the cutter of a lower tool UW (FIGS. 1 and 2), by means of which cutter a crimp contact 20 is separated from a carrier belt 21, and the carrier belt 21 fragmented. The forces arising when this is done do not pass through the force sensor 16, because the cutting punch 3 can move vertically in the upper tool OW, and lies directly against a body 22 of the pressing slider 11.

[0022] The cassette KA, shown in FIG. 2, is insertable from the rear of the crimping press CR and encompasses a contact roll 30 which contains the supply of the belted crimp contacts 20. A contact belt KO passes over a tension pulley 32 and, being twisted through 90°, is guided onto the lower tool UW. A paper-tape reel 34 is driven via a toothed pulley by a mating gear located in the crimping press CR.

[0023] Vertically spring-loaded guide bars 33 are arranged at both sides of the cassette KA and serve to insert the cassette KA into the crimping press CR for cassette changing, the guide bars 33 being guided in guides 33.1 of the crimping press CR. On insertion, the cassette KA is connected pneumatically and electrically to the crimping press CR by means of a quick-change plug connector 36.

[0024]FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 show details of the lower tool UW comprising a vertical cutter guide 40, a cutter 41 for separating the crimp contacts 20 from the carrier belt 21 and for fragmenting the carrier, belt 21, an anvil 42 for producing a crimped connection, and a contact surface 43 for guiding the crimp contacts 20. The fragmented carrier belt 21 falls into a waste pipe 44.

[0025] Advancing of the crimp contacts 20 is performed by a swiveling movement of an advancing finger 45. This finger 45 engages in transporting holes of the carrier belt 21, and takes the form of a spring-loaded catch which only pushes the contacts 20 forward when it swivels upward. The two end-positions of the swiveling movement can be set with a pair of setting screws 46.1, which determine the end-positions of a pneumatic advancing drive 46. Swiveling and guiding the contact belt KO while being advanced is performed by a plurality of guides 47. These guides 47 are collectively adjustable in the direction of the belt, so that the position of the crimp contact 20 on the lower tool UW, and on the anvil 42, can be determined with precision.

[0026] The crimped connection is produced by means of the upper tool OW and lower tool UW, the upper tool OW by means of a linear motion crimping onto an end of a conductor LE the crimp contact 20 which can be laid on the lower tool UW. This is shown in detail in FIG. 9. The crimp contact 20 attached to the carrier belt 21 has lugs 20.1 for the wire crimp, and lugs 20.2 for the insulating crimp, the lugs 20.1 and 20.2 being plastically deformed by means of the wire crimper 1 and insulation crimper 2 respectively, and after the crimping operation tightly encircling a wire LD and surrounding insulation LI respectively. The cutter 41 for separating the crimp contact 20 from the carrier strip 21 comprises a slider 41.1 with a cutting edge 41.2, and a non-moving cutting block 41.3 with spring 41.4. In the crimping operation, the cutting punch 3 moves the slider 41.1 downward against the spring force of the spring 41.4, separating the crimp contact 20 by means of the cutting edge 41.2 and a cutting edge 42.1 of the anvil 42.

[0027]FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 show details of the exact positioning of the cassette KA in the crimping press CR. A V-shaped supporting surface 50 of the cassette KA, and a V-shaped supporting surface 53.1 of a housing 53, serve to guide the cassette KA, it being possible for the V-shape of the supporting surfaces 50 and 53.1 to have a footing. A nose 51 with a stop 52 serves to position the cassette KA, and a positioning mechanism 54 arranged on the housing 53 being provided as an active positioning component. FIG. 10 shows the positioning mechanism 54 in the released state necessary for cassette-changing, and FIG. 11 shows the positioning mechanism 54 in the activated state, in which the cassette KA is positioned and tightly gripped. The positioning mechanism 54 consists of a drive, for example a pneumatic cylinder 54.1, which is connected to a guide 54.2 by means of a pneumatic plunger 54.9. Arranged in a swiveling manner on the guide 54.2 are a pusher 54.3 and a locking lever 54.4. The guide 54.2 and the locking lever 54.4 are guided on each side in a vertical groove 53.2 of a side wall 53.3 of the housing 53. Furthermore, the locking lever 54.4, which is fastened by means of a swiveling axle 54.7 to the guide 54.2, is guided at each side in a horizontal groove 53.4 of the housing side wall 53.3. When the guide 54.2 is lifted, a pressure bolt 54.6 of the locking lever 54.4 is guided in a curve onto the nose 51. When the guide 54.2 is raised, the pusher 54.3 which is held by an axle 54.7 is also moved upward, at which the pusher 54.3 under the force of a compression spring 54.8 presses against the stop 52 of the nose 51. With the movement of the pusher 54.3 and the pressure bolt 54.6, the cassette KA is positioned horizontally and vertically.

[0028] In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A crimping press for producing a crimped connection with an upper tool and a lower tool, the upper tool being moved in a linear motion to crimp a contact onto an end of a conductor which contact is laid on the lower tool, comprising: a cassette adapted to be removably inserted into a crimping press having an upper tool, the cassette including a lower tool with a contact advancer and a supply of contacts whereby when said cassette is inserted into the crimping press, the upper tool cooperates with said lower tool to crimp said contacts onto conductors.
 2. The crimping press according to claim 1 wherein said cassette is insertable from a rear of the crimping press, said cassette having guides and a supporting surface cooperating with guide surfaces and a support surface respectively of the crimping press, and including a positioning mechanism for positioning said cassette horizontally and vertically in the crimping press.
 3. The crimping press according to claim 2 wherein said positioning mechanism includes a drive connected to a guide, and a pusher and a locking lever swiveling on said guide whereby movement of said guide by said drive in a predetermined direction positions said cassette horizontally and vertically.
 4. The crimping press according to claim 1 wherein said lower tool has a vertical cutter guide, a cutter for separating the contacts from a carrier belt and for fragmenting the carrier belt, and an anvil for producing the crimp connection.
 5. The crimping press according to claim 4 wherein said cutter has a slider with a cutting edge and a fixed cutting block with a spring, each contact being separable from said carrier belt by said cutting edge engaging a cutting edge of said anvil.
 6. The crimping press according to claim 1 wherein the contacts are on a carrier belt and said contact advancer has an advancing finger executing a swiveling movement and engaging in transporting holes of the carrier belt, said advancing finger being moved an advancing drive.
 7. A crimping press for crimping a contact onto an end of a conductor comprising: a crimping press having an upper tool movable in a linear motion; a cassette removably inserted into said crimping press; a lower tool mounted on said cassette; a supply of contacts mounted on said cassette; and a contact advancer mounted on said cassette for advancing contacts from said supply of contacts into said lower tool whereby said upper tool cooperates with said lower tool to crimp said contacts onto conductors.
 8. The crimping press according to claim 7 wherein said cassette is insertable from a rear of said crimping press, said cassette having guides and a supporting surface cooperating with guide surfaces and a support surface respectively of said crimping press, and including a positioning mechanism for positioning said cassette horizontally and vertically in said crimping press.
 9. The crimping press according to claim 8 wherein said positioning mechanism includes a drive connected to a guide, and a pusher and a locking lever swiveling on said guide whereby movement of said guide by said drive in a predetermined direction positions said cassette horizontally and vertically.
 10. The crimping press according to claim 7 wherein said lower tool has a vertical cutter guide, a cutter for separating said contacts from a carrier belt and for fragmenting said carrier belt, and an anvil for producing the crimp connection.
 11. The crimping press according to claim 10 wherein said cutter has a slider with a cutting edge and a fixed cutting block with a spring, each said contact being separable from said carrier belt by said cutting edge engaging a cutting edge of said anvil.
 12. The crimping press according to claim 7 wherein said contacts are on a carrier belt and said contact advancer has an advancing finger executing a swiveling movement and engaging in transporting holes of said carrier belt, said advancing finger being moved an advancing drive. 